Vehicle-pole



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. G. W. POSTER.

VEHICLE POLE. No. 424,106. Patented Mar. 25, 1890 N. vrrzns. Pholo-Utfwgnpher. Waahinglnn, o. e

(No Model.) 2 Sheetssheet 2.

R. G. W. POSTER. VEHICLE POLE.

' No. 424.106. Patented Mar. 25, 1 890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

ROBERT G. W. FOSTER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

VEHICLE-POLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,106, dated March 25, 1890.

Application filed August 5, 1889.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. W. FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Poles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-poles, and has. for its object to construct a pole that shall be finished in appearance, inexpensive of construction, and that shall combine lightness with strength and rigidity, and that shall be adjustable as to width.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts, hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

I-Ieretofore in the branch of the art to which my invention belongs it has been necessary to use stock in constructing the pole that shall be of the entire length of the horizontal as well as the curved portion thereof. The great length of the stock renders it expensive, as well as inconvenient of manipulation, and, further, to properly join the same with the transverse semicircular piece at the end there must be a mortise-and-tenon joint, which requires time and expense in forming, and, finally, the whole, as joined, requires to be strongly ironed and braced to withstand the strain and prevent the same from splitting or breakage at the mortise-and-tenon joint.

The object of my invention is to dispense with the necessity of employing stock of so great length, and also of bending the same in forming the pole, thereby lessening the expense of the stock, and by dispensing with the transverse semicircular piece, as well as the mortise and tenon, render it possible to finish the wood-work with less expense than heretofore.

A further object is to manufacture a complete pole that shall comprise a wood-finish from the shackle to the opposite end, with the Serial No. 319,749- (No model.)

main stay-irons beneath the wood, whereby the necessity of swaging and finishing the irons is dispensed with.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete pole constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View. Fig. 4-is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing in plan a bottom view of a section of the tongue or pole and the hounds or wood braces at the point of joinder therewith, and Fig. 6 is aside view of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail View of a modified construction of plate designed to be employed when the braces are dispensed with. 1

To render the description clear, I shall hereinafter designate the complete device as a pole, composed of the main body portion, which I shall designate as the tongue, and the wooden side braces, which I shall designate as hounds.

A designates the tongue, formed of a piece of timber of a length to extend from the forward end of the pole to a point just in rear of the attachment of the whiffletrees, the tongue being perfectly straight and preferably of a true taper to effect a symmetrical appearance.

Upon the under side of the tongue at the rear end there are formed inclined recesses B, one upon each side, formed by scarfing the end in V shape for a portion of the thickness of the end of the tongue, and into these re cesses are fitted the forward ends of hounds 0, formed of wood. Hounds O are of a length to allow of being bent in a serpentine form with a downward curve and to extend rearwardly and laterally fro m the point of j oinder with the tongue a sufficient distance to coincide with the shackles upon thevehicle. The hounds are secured to the tongue by means of one or more bolts D, which may serve also to secure braces E, which extend from the tongue to the hounds, and are secured thereto by bolts F. I

G designates a brace extending transversely between the hounds, and is secured thereto by taking onto the bolts F. Brace G is formed of two sections, each of which has an obtuseangled end portion G, perforated to receive bolt F, the opposite ends being formed with IOO a right and left hand thread, respectively, upon which is screwed a right and left hand threaded nut II, by which means the hounds may be spread or contracted to vary the width of the same to correspond with the varying widths of the arrangement of shackles upon diiferent vehicles, the brace also serving at all times to support the hounds.

Upon the under side of the tongue and hounds is secured a metal plate I, secured to the tongue by bolts J, which also secure a rub-iron K upon the opposite side of the tongue, the plate being bifurcated from the,

point of its attachment with the tongue and curved outwardly and downwardly to correspond with the shape of the hounds, and secured thereto by bolts J, the rear ends being formed to connect with the shackles upon the vehicle.

Vhile I have shown and described the hounds as set into the tongue in a preferred manner, I wish it understood that this is only diagrammatic of one of the several means that may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the wood portions of the pole can be formed with but little expense, as the tongue is easy of manufacture, and, the hounds being of greatly reduced size and exact duplicates prior to forming the end for attachment to the tongue, they can be bent in the same form and constructed of short pieces of stock, thereby greatly reducing the expense of the same.

In view of the adjustability as to width of hounds the pole may be constructed as an article of manufacture. Referring to Fig. 7, in this construction the plate is angled to embrace each side or the tongue at the point of joinder of the hounds, thereby strengthening the same and obviating the necessity of employing braces E, which are dispensed with when this construction of plate is employed.

What I claim is- 1. In a vehicle-pole, the combination, with the tongue, of the hounds secured to the rear end of the pole and separate from each other, a metal plate secured to the under sides of the tongue and hounds at their juncture, said plate being bifurcated and its members extended and secured to the under sides of the hounds, the rear ends of said members being constructed to engage the shackles of the vehicle, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a vehicle-pole, the combination, with the tongue, of the separate hounds secured. to the rear end thereof, a metallic plate secured to the under side of the tongue and hounds at their juncture, said metallic plate being bifurcated, its members being extended and secured to the under sides of the hounds and having their rear ends constructed to be connected to the vehicle-shackles, the transverse braces secured to the hounds and having their opposing ends oppositely threaded, and a nut provided with opposite threads on its opposite ends, as and for the purpose set forth. I

3. In a vehicle-pole, the combination, with the tongue A, of the separate hounds C 0, secured thereto, the metallic plate I, constructed and secured as described, the brace E E, securing-bolts D D, transverse braces G G, and double threaded nut 11, connecting said braces, and the bolts F F, all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT G. W. FOSTER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM WEBSTER, CARROLL J. WEBs'rER. 

